Paris Pizzazz

PARIS — If the top fashion houses are able to influence the public at large, there are a few silhouette choices that may hold sway this fall. During Paris fashion week, which ended Sunday, cropped pants seemed to turn up at regular intervals; it was somewhat surprising for fall collections. Marc Jacobs made them for Louis Vuitton in a tapered shape. Barbara Bui showed slim, ankle-length pants paired with her heeled sandals with high ankle straps. At Yves Saint Laurent, designer Stefano Pilati sent out pleated, cuffed pants, tapered just above the ankle. It was Requiem that not only cropped the length higher than usual, but also flared the leg and brought the waist up high, making for swishy culottes with sex appeal.

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Hemlines varied widely across the board, but both Chanel and Vanessa Bruno used a long, slim shape for skirts. Designer Karl Lagerfeld showed the signature Chanel tweed in a tan weave, and paired it with a flattering white sweater. Ms. Bruno created several long tube skirts in workaday fabrics, as well as in flowing silk. At Louis Vuitton, Mr. Jacobs brought back the traditionally beautiful tea-length skirt with a wide, full bustle, but he also sent out wide-wale corduroy that hung low on the hips and hit around the calf.

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The combination of long skirts and minimal presence of accessories suggested that there might be a sense of sobriety in the air. Yet, fur was employed by designers across the spectrum. What's central to the trend in furs is that — unlike skirts — shorter seems to be the way forward.

Christian Dior by John Galliano featured a gray-and-white waist-length fur, in addition to several coats that fell above the knee. Andrew Gn showed a series of cropped jackets and boleros with his already luxurious collection. At Viktor & Rolf, designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren wowed the crowds with a belted fur coat bearing the word "wow." Ms. Bui added jaunty capelets to her tough-girl silhouette — and the effect was full-on rock star. Ms. Bruno's mixed-material furs were feminine and fitted.

In stores and on the street, the standout color is pale chartreuse — with more yellow than green. The windows of the Michael Perry shop on rue Saint-Honoré show lace-up stiletto booties in this bright shade. Celine, on Avenue Montaigne, is selling leather handbags and dresses in the shade. On the runway, Requiem paired a bright silky top with tan cropped pants.

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The French love their scarves, and the one style most prevalent now is the keffiyeh. This traditional Arab headdress — in a variety of colors — can be seen around the shoulders and around the necks of people all about Paris. The traditional red or black geometric designs on white fabric are less popular than are those featuring unorthodox color combinations. Purple on white can be seen around town. The French chain Etam, which is similar in concept to H&M, is selling black designs printed on purple, red, or green fabric.

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At this time of year, Parisians tend to wrap up for the rainy, chilly weather. Boots — in leather, suede, or other skins — worn with short skirts and tights can be seen all about town. What's noticeable here, more so than in New York, is the wide selection of boots (some featuring equestrian-inspired hardware) available to the French consumer.

Even so, I took a good look at the footwear on the people seated in the front row at Sunday's Vanessa Bruno runway presentation, which always draws one of the coolest crowds of any show. The lineup suggested that boots are just one part of an era in which fashion is about individual expression. There were plenty of boots — black leather ones with long zippers and silver snaps, and fringed, moccasin-style ones — but there were also platform pumps in suede and patent leather, leopard-print, open-toe stilettos, and ruby-red wedge heels with an ankle strap.

Trend? What trend?